WhatsApp Business error codes: what each one means and how to fix it
The short answer
When a message fails on the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta returns a number that names the cause: some codes stop one customer, some stop a template, some stop the whole account until fixed. Search the number you got to see what it stops, whether sending again helps, and exactly where the fix is.
No code with that number in the reference. Check the number as it appeared in the error.
The most frequent on our platform
From the sending logs on ArabyBot in September and October 2026, most frequent first.
- 131042A payment-method problem stops sendingBilling and payment
- 132012Variable values are not in the template's formatSending templates
- 131026The message could not be delivered to this numberReaching the customer
- 132000The number of values does not match the template's variablesSending templates
- 131049Meta held back a marketing message from this customerReaching the customer
- 131053The image or file could not be uploadedMedia and files
- 131052Media the customer sent could not be downloadedMedia and files
- 130403Your business blocked this customer on WhatsAppReaching the customer
- 131000An unknown error at MetaGeneral request errors
Billing and payment
Errors from the payment setup at Meta; they stop the whole account until fixed.
Account restrictions and policy
Meta restricted the account or number for a policy or quality reason.
- 368The account is temporarily restricted for a policy violationEvery message on the account
- 131031The account is locked or its data failed verificationEvery message on the account
- 130497Messaging this customer's country is not allowed for your businessThis customer only
- 131064Messaging is limited for wrong template categoriesEvery message on the account
Reaching the customer
The account is fine, but the message did not reach this particular customer.
- 131026The message could not be delivered to this numberThis customer only
- 131049Meta held back a marketing message from this customerThis customer only
- 130403Your business blocked this customer on WhatsAppThis customer only
- 131047More than 24 hours since the customer's last messageThis customer only
- 130472The customer is in a Meta marketing experimentThis customer only
- 131050The customer stopped your marketing messagesThis customer only
- 131021The recipient is the sender's own numberThis request only
Sending limits and speed
Sending faster or more than Meta allows in a short time.
- 130429You exceeded the number's sending speedEvery message from this number
- 131048Meta limited sending after blocks or spam reportsEvery message from this number
- 131056Too many messages to the same customer in a short timeThis customer only
- 4The app hit its API call limitThis request only
- 80007The WhatsApp Business account hit its rate limitEvery message on the account
Sending templates
The template or its variables do not match what Meta approved.
- 132012Variable values are not in the template's formatThis template only
- 132000The number of values does not match the template's variablesThis template only
- 132001The template does not exist or is not approved in this languageThis template only
- 132005The filled-in template text is too longThis template only
- 132007The template content violates Meta's policyThis template only
- 132015The template is paused for low qualityThis template only
- 132016The template is permanently disabledThis template only
- 2388019You reached the maximum number of templatesThe current setup step
Creating templates
Refusals while writing or editing a template before review.
- 2388039The template status cannot be changed nowThis template only
- 2388040A template field is over its character limitThis template only
- 2388047The template header format is incorrectThis template only
- 2388072The template body format is incorrectThis template only
- 2388073The template footer format is incorrectThis template only
- 2388293Too many variables for the template's lengthThis template only
- 2388299A variable at the start or end of the templateThis template only
Media and files
An image or file that failed to upload or download, or is unsupported.
Number registration and verification
The number is not registered yet, or a code or two-step PIN is wrong.
- 133016Too many registration attempts for the numberEvery message from this number
- 131037The number's display name needs approvalEvery message from this number
- 131045The number is not registered on the APIEvery message from this number
- 133000A previous deregistration did not completeThe current setup step
- 133004The registration server is temporarily unavailableThe current setup step
- 133005The two-step verification PIN is wrongThe current setup step
- 133006The number must be verified before registeringThe current setup step
- 133008Too many wrong PIN attemptsThe current setup step
- 133009The PIN was entered too quicklyThe current setup step
- 133010The number is not registered on the platformEvery message from this number
- 133015The number was recently deleted and deletion is not completeThe current setup step
- 33The business phone number has been deletedEvery message from this number
Number migration and maintenance
Moving a number between providers, or a number in temporary maintenance.
- 131057The account is in maintenance modeEvery message on the account
- 2494100The business number is in maintenance modeEvery message from this number
- 2388012The number already exists in the accountThe current setup step
- 2388091The number is not being migrated: register and verify itThe current setup step
- 2388093Verification unavailable: the number is not being migratedThe current setup step
- 2388103The number cannot be migrated in its current stateThe current setup step
Permissions and access tokens
The connection to the WhatsApp API lost a permission or its token expired.
- 0The access token is invalid or expiredEvery message on the account
- 3The app lacks the needed capability or permissionEvery message on the account
- 10A permission was not granted or was removedEvery message on the account
- 190The access token has expiredEvery message on the account
- 200No access token sent, or a missing permissionEvery message on the account
- 131005Access denied for a missing permissionThis request only
Partner accounts and sync
Errors about linking an account to a tech partner and syncing its data.
- 1752041Duplicate request: the account was already invitedThis request only
- 2593079The account is already marked to move to another solutionThe current setup step
- 2593085The account is not eligible for an on-behalf-of transferThe current setup step
- 2593107Too many sync calls for the numberThe current setup step
- 2593108The sync was requested more than 24 hours after onboardingThe current setup step
Marketing Messages API
Errors specific to Meta's separate Marketing Messages API.
- 132018Template parameter error on the marketing APIThis template only
- 131063Marketing templates are disabled on the Cloud APIThis template only
- 131055The marketing API only accepts marketing templatesThis request only
- 134100A utility or authentication template sent to the marketing APIThis request only
- 134101The template is still syncingThis template only
- 134102The template is unavailable on the marketing APIThis template only
Template insights
Turning template performance insights on or off.
WhatsApp Flows
Blocked or throttled WhatsApp Flows.
General request errors
A temporary fault at Meta, or a missing or invalid request.
- 131000An unknown error at MetaThis request only
- 1Invalid request or a possible server errorThis request only
- 2Temporary downtime or overload at MetaThis request only
- 100An invalid or unsupported parameterThis request only
- 131008A required parameter is missingThis request only
- 131009A parameter value is not validThis request only
- 131016The service is temporarily unavailableThis request only
- 135000A generic unknown error in the request parametersThis request only
Where to find the error number
On ArabyBot the reason any message failed appears in plain words under that message in the inbox and in the campaign report, with the number. If you connect WhatsApp yourself through the API, the number is in the error field of the send response or in the message-status webhook Meta returns.
Try the agent before you pay anything
The agent that will answer your customers is the one answering you now: ask it from the chat button here or on WhatsApp. Your account is free with no credit card, and the free trial on your own number or page is activated after you contact our team on customer-service WhatsApp.